Lincoln Lesson Idea: Letters From the Heart

Level - Elementary
Subjects - Social Studies, History, Government, Geography, Language Arts, Writing

Objectives:

Students will analyze letters from soldiers of the Civil War and gain a deeper understanding of life in America during that time.

Activity:

Try The American Civil War Homepage to find a hotlist of links divided into logical categories. This site is updated frequently and includes everything from basic research to interactive videos to letters from a soldier in the Civil War. Share the letters from the soldiers with your students. Have students write fictitious letters (or blog entries) taking on the persona of a soldier. If you use a blog, be sure to allow them to comment to the entries as if they were someone from home reading a loved one’s blog.

Tips:

Since this site offers such an abundance of links. Take a few minutes BEFORE you are ready to use the site to find the link to the letters from soldiers.

Web Resources

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